Foot muff



Oct. 9, 1928. 1,686,588

, E. R. WENDEMUTH FOOT MUFF Filed Sept. 16, 1927 IINVENTOR ATTORNEY- WWW I Patented Get, 9, 1928.

UNITED STATES r AITENT OFFICE.

nnnusr n. WENDEMUTH, OEGLEN RIDGE, NnwJnnsEY. j

Application eiea September 15, 1927. Serial No. 219,948.

My invention relates to foot muffs, and more particularly to foot muffs embodying therein means facilitating. the adjustment of the mufi to the feet and legs of the wearer.

Heretofore, andfor many yearspast, there have been manufactured and sold, foot muffs ofthe general type to which my invention relates. Such muffs have hada lining of fur of various kinds,according to the supply and cheapness of chiferent furs, th s lining hav-' ing had a decorative cover, the materials used for which included soft leather, cloth, fur or other materials, to meet the taste requirements of the users. Ordinarily, atop edging of fancy fur was used to finish the upper part of the mufi. The sole of'the muff was usually of soft leather, although fabrics were sometimes used for this purpose. At different times in the past,the height of these muffs has varied, but their general construction and mode of manufacture has always been the same, I

' In producing foot mufls of the type above referred to, the usual practice followed has been to first makethe lining, fur side inside,

skin side outsidefi'this lining being'made of similar side panels, a sole, a moreior less straight back and a front,the sides and front being so shaped as to roughly conform to the feet of the wearer. Theseparts were united by stitching, and the cover and sole then formed of similarly patterned and united parts of slightly larger dimensions, except as to height. The lining was then slipped means of a. decorative top secured by stitching to the upperedges of both the lining and the cover. 1

In some instances for adjusting the muff to the wearer, ordinary frogs or metallic hooks and eyes were secured nearthe top of o the upper: at a point substantially midway between the sides of the muff so that the wearer could draw the back and front to- H gether and fasten them in a manner to holdthe upper in position about the legs of the user after thefeethad been inserted therein,

It will be understood that .al'lfoot muffs of the type to which I have referred, were adapted to receive both feet of the wearer, A foot muff embodying my invention possesses all of the characteristics, and ispatterned and assembled in the same manner as the old and well knownfoot muffs aboVe' referred to, w1th the exception that. frogs or H WVhile the within the cover, and the two united by necessityfor drawing-the top up about the legs- V features above referred to result from the use of a resilient member closely adjacent the top of the muff, this member alsoserves to normally distend thetop in v what may be termed its closed form, and

has also been found to prevent the top from collapsing while it is not in use, thus nor mally holding the top of the mufl' so that the feet may be readily inserted thereinto.

The invention consistsprimarily ina foot muff embodying therein, the combination wit-ha liningv and an exterior decorative cover shaped to receive both feet of a wearer, of a resilient loop contracted medially of the sides thereof and supportedadjacent thetop of the muff, whereby said top will be held in a normally distended position at oppositesides of the medial contraction of said loop, and normally contracted adjacentsaid medial contraction, and the open top of the muff will yield, to permit the insertion of the ,feet throughthe top thereof,and thereafter automatical'ly' close about the legs of the wearer; and in such other novel features of construction and combination of parts as are hereinafter set, forth and described, and more partioularly pointedout in the claimshereto ap pended. i Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective .view of a foot muff embodying the invention;

, Fig.2 is a side viewthereofj of Figil; and Y e Fig. 4 is a detail plan view of the-resilient memberseparated from .the muff structure;

. Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views. I

In the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawlngs, the lining a and the cover 6' F' g. 3 is a vertical sectionon the line-3 3' of the mufl' are made with the usual i shaped sides, and front, back and sole unitedvby. stitching in the usual manner. The lining is made-of sheepskin andthe cover I) is made of pile fabric. as is the top trim .or edg'in'g c.

Fnl1owing' the, practices of the prior art of many years the material used in the lining, cover and top trnn or edg ng may vary as desired, to meet the requlrement of the user.

It is now the common'practice, however, to use fabrics of various shades or tones, so that a fastldlous user may secure a foot muif which will harmonize with the color scheme of the upholstery of an automobile'and with fancy lap robes.

The cutting of the parts of the lining, the top trim or edging and the cover, and their arrangement, follow the practices of the prior art, the lining extending to a greater height than the cover, and the top trim or edging being formed of a strip folded upon itself, one side of the fold lapping the lining, and

the-other side thereof meeting the top edge of the cover, the lining, the cover and this edgingbeing secured by stitching through both sides of the folded trim or edging, the

top of the cover and through the lining below thetop thereof. 7 The outer sole shown at d is usually of fabric or soft leather, and the inlapse at a point immediately above the foot portion, the entire top falling forwardly upon the foot portion. This condition makes it necessary for the wearer to bend over, raise and distend the top by hand when inserting the feet into the muff. Furthermore, even when the feet of the wearer were me muff, there was a tendency of the front portion of the top to fall down wardly to 'a certain extent, thus failing to protect the leg immediately above the ankles; To obviate this condition, I assemble in the top structure a resilient looped member 7 formed of flat spring wire. This looped member is contracted medially of the sides thereof at 9, so as to formtwo distended portions it and .z'at opposite sides of'this contract-ed portion. The ends of the 'metalstrip forming the loop, preferably are not connected in any way,'with the two-fold objectof facilitating the expansion of the loop when thefeet of a wearer are being inserted in the muff, and to accommodate loops of the same dimension'to muffs of'varying dimensions at the top thereof. The ends'of .the strip are indicated at "7' and In producing the muff,

this looped resilient member 7 is stitched to theskin'side of the lining'adjacent the top thereof, with the ends 'j7s lapping, if necessary. It is quite immaterial whether these ends overlap each other, abut or are spaced to the upper portion of themuff.

apart. In thus assembling the looped member in the top structure of the muffs, the flat of the wire is positioned against the skin of the lining. p v V When the looped member 7 is properly positioned, the top trim or edging c is assembled inthe muff structure, thus inclosing and concealing the looped member. When this top trim or edging is once secured in place, it is quite immaterial whether thestitching securing the member f in position isbroken or not, since it will be held in place by the top trim or edging. i

When a m'ufi embodying my invention is not in use, themember f will prevent the upper or leg portion-of the muff from collapsing upon the foot portion, and-if this top "is forcibly "folded down upon the foot portion, the action. of the member 7 is such as to immediately restore the top to its upright position.' This-is probably due to the fact that the bending forward ofthe top is accompanied by torsional stresses upon the member f suiiicient to move the entire top upwardly.

l Vhen the feet are inserted one at a'time within the muff, the member f will yield readily to permit the distension of the top at any point thereof, from the normal shaping thereof by the member and thus permit the i feet to be inserted :one' at a time through the open top which will immediately .assume'its normal position when both feet are within the muff. The contracted portion 9 of the member 7 will have the effect of drawing the top of the muff fairly closely about both legs of the wearer, particularly in view of the heavy fleece lining. Of course, if desired, the

wearer may use the-hands for holding the i muff when inserting the feet therein, but

' when the feet are once inserted it is notnecessary to draw and fasten the top of the muff about the legs, since the member f will maintain the normal configuration of the entire is no deterioration'of this member. The use of elastics is prohibitive, first because such material 1s shorthved, and second because such material cannot give the desired form As stated above, the materials used for the lining, cover or soles of the muff are immaterial, such being a matter of selection. Furthermore, if desired, p ping, monograms or other decorative matter maybe mcorporated in the foot muff according to changing styles'or whims ofthe' users.

It is not my intention "to limit theinven-- tion to the precise details of construction .of a wearer, of a resilient loop contracted 1. A foot muff embodying therein, the combination with a lining and anexterior decorative cover shaped to receive both feet medially of the sides thereof and supported adjacent the top of the muff, whereby said top will be held in a normally'distended position at opposite sides of the medial contrao tion of said loop, and normally'contracted adjacent said medial contraction, and the open top of'the muff will yield to permit the insertion of the feet through the top thereof, and thereafter automatically close,

about the legs of the wearer.

2. A foot muff embodying therein, the. combination with a lining, an exterior decorative cover shaped to receive 1 both feet of a wearer, and a folded top edging extending about the uper edge of saidlining and, said cover, of a spring metal loop within said.

folded top edging, said loop being contracted medially of the sides thereof and supported adjacent the top of the muff, whereby said about the legs of the wearer.

top Will be held in a normally distended position at opposite sides of the medial contraction of said loop, and normally contracted adjacent said medial contraction, and the open top of the muff will yield toxpermit the insertion of the feet through the top close thereof, and thereafter automatically 3. A foot muff embodying therein, the combination with a lining, an exterior decorative cover shaped to receive both feet of a wearer, and-a folded top edging extending I about the upper edge of said lining and said cover,"of'a. spring metal loop within said folded top edging, said loop being contracted medially of the sides thereof and supported adjacent the top of the muff, the metal of said'loop having unconnected ends, WhGI8-' by said'top will be held in a normally distended position at opposite sides of the medial contraction of said" loop, and normally contracted adjacent said medial contraction, and the open top of the muff will yield to permit 7 the insertion of the feet through the top thereof, and thereafter automaticallyclose about the legs of the wearer.

In witness whereof I have hereunto afiixed my signature, this 14th day of September,

ERNEST R. WENDEMUTH. 

